Connecting HP ultraslim docking station with 2 external monitors

[hpultraslim]

Hi, I am planning to gift a docking station and two monitors to my husband so that he may set up a work from home for his HP Elitebook 840. I would be very grateful if someone can tell me whether the HP Ultraslim Docking station is compatible with the monitors I have chosen , the dell U2414H . its specs are 2 HDMI MHL connectors, 1 mini dp, 1 dp 1.2a, 1 dp out MST, 4 USB 3.0 downstream and 1 upstream.

Could someone tell me whether I can set up two of these with the HP Ultraslim docking station , what the compatibility is and what additional cables or adapters I will need to make them compatible.

Thanks a ton.

[bbusse · Accepted solution]

Do you know which version of the HP Ultraslim Docking station  you have?    There were some specific changes in regards to the 2013 generation of the dock where the docking station has 2 x DisplayPorts instead of earlier versions that only had one DisplayPort and one VGA.

If you have the later 2013 Generation docking station and have 2 x DisplayPorts,   those monitors should be fine.  And you'd of course need the two displayport cables to use with the monitors (monitors might come with them, but make very sure they do).

The 2013 Model looks like this (2 Display ports to the right of the Network jack):

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61ZSGNoW0sL._SL1500_.jpg

Whereas the older model looks like this (single DisplayPort, next to the Network jack):

http://content.hwigroup.net/images/products_xl/172474/hp-ultraslim-docking-station.jpg

If the monitors do not come with cables,  I highly recommend Monoprice.com as your source for those or ANY cabling.   The link below is for 3 foot long cables, but depending on the layout of his desk, you might want 6-10 foot cables.  Below link is an example:

http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=13359

WARNING:    I have seen several posts from users on the forums here and outside of hp directly complaining that there is any number of issues using 2 x DisplayPort monitors, even with the 2013 version of the dock.  There are firmware updates available for the dock that help.    I just wanted to toss that out there since it's hit 'n miss as to whether they work with multiple monitors, and since those monitors do not have VGA as an option,  you can't do the workaround of using VGA and DisplayPort (instead of 2 x DisplayPort) to get it working.

Brian

[hpultraslim]

Thanks a lot for this. I will then reconsider the monitors and see if I can choose one with a VGA. Thanks again.

[bbusse]

You're welcome.   Just to be sure i'm clear.   That Docking station only has one VGA Port for a monitor.   I just didn't want you to go buy 2 expecting to use both via VGA 🙂

You can absolutely use one DisplayPort and one VGA.  But keep in mind that VGA is analog and DisplayPort (and HDMI) are digital.   VGA is lesser quality and if you have 2 monitors that are identical and one uses VGA and the other used DisplayPort, the VGA might look a little 'less good'.   

If he doesn't do graphics intense applications,  you can use USB to HDMI or USB to DisplayPort adapters.    They are not quite as good,  but they do provide an option if you're ok eating up a USB port (or 2):

http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=12630

There are other versions,  that's just the first i found/liked ^

Brian